The Crusader Crisis

by AstroStar

Sisters of a Feather

In the course of normal events, Pinkie Pie would be downstairs helping the Cakes run Sugarcube Corner or meeting up with her friends to go over ideas for the show, or to just hang out and have fun. Right now, however, Pinkie Pie didn't feel like doing any of that. Not since an extremely distraught Rainbow Dash came to visit her a few hours ago. She told her about what had happened that afternoon between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. She had also told her about the mistake she made with Scootaloo, and how awful it made her feel. Pinkie did her best to make Rainbow Dash feel better, but she wasn't sure if she was able to break through all that guilt her friend was feeling. She gave her the advice to go over to Scootaloo's and straighten things out, and she hoped that Rainbow Dash would follow it. Between seeing Rainbow Dash as sad as she could ever remember, on top of hearing about Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's fight, AND Scootaloo being even more sad, Pinkie Pie was just unable to continue working today. She excused herself for the rest of the day, and went back upstairs to her room. She didn't want to work at the store right now. She barely even felt like working on the show.

Oh yeah. The show. Season four was supposed to start one month from now. And there was still a lot to be done. The first part of the season was ready to be filmed, but she was sure nopony was in the mood to film anything at the moment. On top of that, there was still a whole ten or so episodes left to plan, including the now-plotless season finale. Season three ended with Twilight's coronation (it wasn't their original plan, but it worked out anyway), and Pinkie wasn't sure if they were able to top that for the season four finale. Maybe some suggestions from Hasbro would point her in the right direction. She looked at the stack of letters that Hasbro had sent her which she hadn't even read yet thanks to the ongoing Crusader feud. She took some of the letters in her hooves and read them quickly. It was mainly just status updates, and recommendations Hasbro offers them to use for 'Friendship is Magic' and 'Equestria Girls'. Speaking of Equestria Girls, wasn't she supposed to meet with Lyra about the sequel soon? She quickly brushed that concern aside and went through the rest of the letters. There were updates on merchandising, inquiries about future episodes and... Wait, when did The Hub decide to change its name? The show was going to be on 'Discovery Family' now? Who made that decision?

Pinkie threw the letters back on her table. There was too much to go through right now and frankly, she didn't really care about any of it. It barely mattered anyhow because if things kept getting worse like they did today, there may not even be a show to prepare for! She flopped on her bed, face down in her pillows, and sighed. She didn't cry or shout out. She just laid down silently. It was too much. The Crusaders. Her friends. The show. There were too many problems and not enough solutions. And if she couldn't find a solution soon, then Celestia knows what might happen.

Pinkie continued laying down on her bed, blocking out the world around her. She didn't even hear her bedroom door creak open. A mint green unicorn stood at the entryway, holding a notebook that read 'Lyra's Equestrian Girls Notes'.

“Pinkie? It's me, Lyra!” she called out. "Mrs. Cake told me you were up here."

Pinkie suddenly lifted her head from her bed and turned her attention to the door. “Lyra!” she gasped in quick realization. “Oh no, the Equestria Girls meeting! That was supposed to be today! I completely forgot!”

“It's all right, Pinkie. We can deal with the meeting later? Are you feeling all right?”

Pinkie slumped back on her bed. “No, I’m not. Actually, none of us are.” She went on to tell Lyra about what had happened just a few hours earlier with Rainbow Dash and how she told her about the fight between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and the pegasus' own apparent fallout between herself and Scootaloo.

“I told Dashie that she should go to Scootaloo and straighten things out, but I’m not sure if she has the nerve to do that right now,” Pinkie finished explaining.

“Wow,” Lyra remarked as she heard the last of the story.

“Yeah, it’s that bad,” Pinkie confirmed. “Rainbow is depressed, Scootaloo is even more depressed, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are further apart, AJ and Rarity are worn out dealing with them, the rest of us are worried about all of them, and to top it all off, we’re a month away from the season four premiere which means we need to start filming soon and… ugh.” Pinkie buried her head in her hooves in frustration. “We can’t do the show with all this going on.”

Lyra went over to the bed and sat down next to Pinkie. “Have you told Hasbro?”

Pinkie shook her head. “I don’t know if I should. I don’t even know where to start if I told them.”

“Good point,” Lyra admitted. “I can’t believe things have gotten this bad.”

“I know. Every time I think it can’t get any worse, it does!” Pinkie buried her head in her hooves. “I just… I don’t know what to do anymore.”

The two sat in silence for a few moments. Lyra tried to speak up again, but felt awkward doing so under the circumstances. Eventually, she slowly started to make her way back to the door. “I guess today was a bad day to talk about the Equestria Girls sequel, huh?”

Pinkie hesitated for a second and sighed. “No. You can go ahead and talk about it now, Lyra.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. I have to take my mind off this for a while or else I’ll drive myself crazy. Besides, you worked hard on this and it wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“All right, Pinkie. If you insist.” Lyra sat back on the bed. She reached for her notebook and started to leaf through the pages. “I had a lot of ideas for the Equestria Girls sequel, but I think I came up with one that’s a winner.” She found the pages she was looking for. She opened up the book to Pinkie, revealing a drawing of three sinister looking girls singing on stage. “It all started when Sunset Shimmer’s friends from Fillydelphia came over one day. There’s Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, and Adagio Dazzle. They call themselves the Dazzlings. They’re a music trio. You should hear them. They’re pretty good!”

“Yeah, I bet they are.” Pinkie found herself starting to smile. Meeting new friends for the show definitely would help lighten the mood.

“They’re a little strange though,” Lyra warned. “They have these Siren avatars that they like to use.”

“Sirens?” Pinkie asked. “That’s a first.”

“I know. They’re really into that kind of stuff. I don’t get it either,” Lyra shrugged. “At any rate, one day, Adagio met Vinyl and they had a music battle. You should have seen it, it was pretty epic! And it gave me an idea about what to do with the Equestria Girls sequel.” Lyra turned the page and revealed the logo of the proposal. “I’m calling it ‘Rainbow Rocks!’ What do you think?”

Pinkie took a good long look at the logo. “Hmm… it does sound interesting. Do you have an idea for the plot?”

“I'm still working on the specifics,” Lyra shrugged, “But at the very least, I wanted to base it around an idea of a music show at Canterlot High.”

“A music show.” Pinkie acknowledged. Pinkie blinked a few times as a new thought began to form in her head. “A music show?”

“I think it could be fun,” Lyra continued. “I’m thinking that maybe the Dazzlings could go up against you six in sort of a battle of the bands type thing.”

“A music show…” Pinkie muttered, lost in her own thoughts.

Lyra noticed that Pinkie had spaced out. She took the reaction as a sign that her plot for ‘Rainbow Rocks’ was a bad idea. She started to flip the pages of the notebook again.

“That was just one idea,” Lyra said. “If you don’t like it, then I had this other idea about a competition with a rival school and…”

“A MUSIC SHOW!!! THAT’S IT!!!”

Lyra was shocked to see Pinkie suddenly stand up and shout triumphantly, with a giant smile on her face.

“Pinkie? What the…” Lyra stated to ask before being grabbed by a set of pink hooves.

“LYRA, YOU’RE A GENIUS!!! THANK YOU!!!” Pinkie showed her eternal gratitude by giving Lyra a giant kiss on the lips. Once done, she suddenly gasped. “Oh my gosh! I have to go tell the others! Be right back!”

Pinkie rushed out of her room and out of Sugarcube Corner, leaving a very confused and very flustered Lyra in her wake. Once she was able to get some semblance of sense back, the green unicorn gathered her notebook and slowly made her way out of the store. She slowly made it back towards her home, her expression frozen in bewildered shock. A dizzying half hour later, she finally made it back to her house, where Bon Bon and Derpy were waiting for her.

“Lyra!” Derpy shouted excitedly. “What did she say? What did she say?”

Lyra kept staring ahead in shock. “She… she…”

Bon Bon found her roommate’s reaction very concerning. “What happened, Lyra? Pinkie didn’t like it?”

Lyra shook her head slowly. “No, she loved it. Hoo boy, did she love it.” She began to head for her bedroom. “Tell everypony that ‘Rainbow Rocks’ is on. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go lie down now.”

~~~~~

Rainbow Dash stood at Scootaloo’s bedroom door for several moments. She knew Scootaloo was inside. She could hear her sobs from the other side of the door. She tried several times to knock, but hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she even had the right to talk to her after what she said. Eventually, she gathered up enough nerve to knock gently.

“Scootaloo?” Rainbow Dash called out.

“Go away!” the voice sobbed from the other side.

“Listen, Scoots. I need to say something. And if you don’t want to listen, that’s fine. I just need to say this for my own sake.” Rainbow Dash sat down in front of the door and sighed. “I’m sorry for what I said back there. I never should have said that you should give up and move away.”

“Why do you want me to leave? I thought you wanted to be my big sister?”

“I do want to be your big sister, Scootaloo. I just want you to be happy. I thought the best way to do that was to get as far away from Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle as possible.”

“Are you serious?!?”

“Yeah. In hindsight, that was a really dumb idea.” Rainbow sighed and stood back up. “You have to understand though. I’m trying, Scootaloo. I’m really trying to be the best big sister ever. But, I don’t know how. It’s not like I grew up with a little sister like Rarity and Applejack. I’ve never been through this before.”

From the inside of the bedroom, Scootaloo’s sobs hushed down as she listened to Rainbow Dash.

“I spent my whole life trying to be cool and awesome. I try to be the best at everything I do. And you deserve the best big sister in Equestria, Scootaloo. I’m just not sure if I’m the right pony for the job, anymore. What’s the point if I can’t be cool and awesome to the one pony who deserves it most?” Rainbow Dash began to slowly trot away. “I understand if you don’t want me as your sister anymore. But just know that even if you give up on me, I’ll never EVER give up on you. I’ll always have your back, Scootaloo. I always will.”

Suddenly the door to the bedroom clicked open. Rainbow Dash turned around to see an orange and purple streak rush her way. Before she knew it, Scootaloo was clutching her hind leg for dear life.

“Don’t go, Rainbow Dash! Please! Don't go!” the young pegasus cried.

“Scootaloo?”

“I already lost Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. I can’t lose you, too!”

Rainbow Dash sat back down and gave Scootaloo a gentle hug. “It’s ok, Scootaloo. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I thought you wanted to send me away because you didn’t want me anymore.”

“Come on, kid. You should know that Rainbow Dash never leaves anypony hanging. I just… I wish I could be a better sister to you, Scoots.”

“I don’t want a better sister. I just want you!” Fresh tears formed in Scootaloo’s eyes. She buried her head in Rainbow’s chest. “I’m scared, Dash. I don’t know what’s gonna happen to me, or Apple Bloom, or Sweetie Belle. Is this gonna go on for weeks? Months? Years? Will we be like this when we grow up? I can’t face this alone, Dash. I’m too afraid!”

Rainbow Dash sighed heavily as Scootaloo cried. She closed her eyes in shame. “Can I let you in on a big secret? I’m afraid too.”

Scootaloo crying stopped. She looked up to Rainbow Dash in disbelief. “You're afraid too? Why?”

The two pegasi walked back to the bedroom. Rainbow Dash couldn’t even look Scootaloo in the eye as she explained. “I'm afraid because I can’t screw this up, Scootaloo. You're too important to me. You need me to be a big sister now more than ever, but I don’t know if I can do that. I may be awesome, but I’m not perfect. I know I’m gonna screw up somehow in the future. I can’t afford to take that chance. Not with you.” She slumped on the ground, fighting back tears of her own. “I don't know if I’m strong enough to be a sister.”

Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash stunned disbelief. This was a side of Rainbow Dash she wasn’t familiar with, but yet she completely understood. A small smile appeared on the young filly’s face. She realized something at that moment; Rainbow Dash needed her as much as she needed Rainbow Dash.

“I believe in you, Rainbow Dash. You can do it,” Scootaloo said, sitting next to her idol.

Rainbow Dash smiled sheepishly. “You really think I can be an awesome sister?”

Scootaloo chuckled. “You got me to smile, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I guess I did,” Rainbow Dash laughed softly. She then gave Scootaloo a loving embrace. “Thanks for believing in me, kiddo."

“No, thank you. For everything.” Scootaloo hugged her idol-turned-sister back. For the first time since this situation began, Scootaloo found a reason to smile. The future may be filled with too many unanswered questions, but even that didn’t matter at that moment because no matter what, she'll have Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash will have her. And it felt… right. Scootaloo saw a twinkle in Rainbow Dash’s eye as a tear fell down her cheek.

“I love you, Scootaloo.”

“I love you too, Rainbow Dash.”

The two pegasi continued their sisterly embrace until they heard a sudden thud from inside the room. They broke away from the hug and saw Pinkie Pie standing at the open door. The pink pony’s jaw had literally fallen on the floor. An odd reaction, but nothing was odd when Pinkie was involved.

“Hey Pinkie. I didn't hear you come in,” Rainbow Dash said. “Listen, if you came by to help me out with Scootaloo, you don’t need to anymore. We worked things out.”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo nodded. “And believe it or not, I feel a lot better now.”

Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash became concerned as Pinkie started to smile excitedly, her face seemingly about to burst with joy.

“Are you ok, Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Scootaloo! Look at your flank!!!” Pinkie shrieked.

“WHAT?!?” Scootaloo’s jaw dropped. She checked her flank. She saw a symbol of a lightning bolt inside a pegasus wing surrounded by a three color shield on her flank. She saw her cutie mark.

Scootaloo’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh my gosh! OH MY GOSH!!!”

“OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!” Rainbow Dash shouted in excitement. “Scootaloo! You did it!!!”

“I GOT MY CUTIE MARK!!!” Scootaloo shouted in glee. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie tackled her in celebration.

“HA! This is awesome!!! Way to go, kiddo!”

“Congratulations, Scootaloo!”

Scootaloo could barely contain herself. She had earned her cutie mark! She waited her whole life for it to happen, and now her moment had finally come!

But the moment felt incomplete.

In the midst of the celebration, the nagging feeling tugged at Scootaloo's mind that caused her to stop celebrating.

“Scootaloo, What’s wrong?” Pinkie asked, “Aren’t you happy?”

“I am.” Scootaloo insisted. “This is a dream come true! But… I don’t feel right celebrating like this. Something’s missing.”

Rainbow Dash was quick to guess what Scootaloo was implying. “Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle,” she sighed.

Scootaloo nodded. “I always thought they would be here when it happened, you know like how we were there when Sweetie Belle got hers.” She took a good look at her cutie mark. “And now, I don’t even know what’s gonna happen when Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle find out. I can’t help thinking that this is gonna make things even MORE complicated.”

Rainbow Dash groaned. “This sucks. Even when something good happens, it turns out to be a bad thing!”

“I’m sorry,” Scootaloo apologized.

Pinkie smiled. “You don’t have to apologize for getting your cutie mark, Scootaloo,” Pinkie smiled. “Besides, I think I figured out how to make things uncomplicated.”

“You do?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Pinkie laid out her plan to the two pegasi. Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash stood dumbstruck as they took it all in.

“Well, what do you think?” Pinkie asked.

Scootaloo shook her head in disbelief. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “I know I do. Pinkie, that’s brilliant! That just might work!!!”

Scootaloo ran up to Pinkie and gave her a huge hug. “Pinkie, I... I don't even know how to thank you!”

“Well, it really wasn't my idea. Lyra was the one who brought it up,” Pinkie clarified. She blinked as a sudden thought came to her. “Wait a sec, did I tell her she could do that ‘Rainbow Rocks’ thing? Oh, who cares? I’m sure she’ll do a great job with that anyway!”

“‘Rainbow Rocks’? What's that?” Scootaloo asked.

“I’ll explain later. Right now, I’ve got to tell the others about this plan!”

“I’ll get AJ and Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash said, getting ready to take off. “Pinkie, you get Rarity and Twilight. We’ll meet you at Sugarcube Corner in 15 minutes.”

“Aye aye, captain!” Pinkie saluted.

Rainbow turned to Scootaloo. “Wanna come with, kiddo?”

Scootaloo grinned. “Of course!”

“Let’s do this!” Pinkie shouted.

“Wait!” Scootaloo called out. “There’s something I need to do first.”

Scootaloo ran to her dresser and pulled out her Cutie Mark Crusader cape. She could still see some of the tear stains she had put on it the past few weeks. She chuckled a bit, then she tied the cape on, draping it over her flank.

“You’re wearing the cape NOW?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“But, you just got your cutie mark!” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

Scootaloo smiled. “I’ll explain along the way. Come on, you guys! What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

Comments

[DanvilleBengal]

6732664

Good, because I think you definitely have some more stuff to work with, especially since the Crusaders now have their canonical cutie marks...not to mention the new Friendship castle, as well as Starlight Glimmer getting on the show.

Come to think of it, definitely the one that would be based on the two-parter 'Twilight's Kingdom' would be ideal for the next installment of your series.

[ididntthinkidlikethis]

Updates are Magic!

I love these stories, and this one is shaping up to be my favorite of the bunch.

[DarkChiyo]

This story is wonderful. I'm a bit worried there won't be any updates anymore. Has been 3 years since the last chapter got out.

[gamernerd717]

I wish you would update this.